1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of computing systems and more particularly in the field of cooling microelectronic devices within a system and reducing acoustical noise generated by the system.
2. Background
In a competitive market, particularly the market for personal computing devices, customers will weigh the characteristics of products from multiple producers before a purchase is made. Different customers and geographies, have dissimilar opinions with regards to what makes a “quality” computing device. The most commonly sought after attributes of a computing device are processor speed, disk capacity, memory size, cost, graphics capability, form factor, and appearance. These attributes tend to be comparable among the various producers of computing systems.
The most rapidly growing area of interest for customers is acoustics or noise. Many customers now weight the acoustical characteristics of a system as highly significant in determining the quality of the system. Currently the primary elements operative in the production of system acoustical noise are the system's various electro-mechanical cooling fans the including system fans, microelectronic component fans, and power supply fans.
Microelectronic component fans, commonly known as fan-sinks, include a fan and heat sink assembly utilized to cool an individual microelectronic component. A fan-sink includes a heat sink, a fan, and a fan-shroud, which affixes to the heat sink and to which the fan is affixed. Conventional fan shrouds rigidly tie together the fan and the heat sink. Initially, the fan is affixed and secured to the fan shroud by screws, typically four. Next the fan/fan-shroud sub-assembly is affixed to the heat sink by tabs (typically four) that are bent around the base of the heat sink. This rigid mounting scheme can cause excitement between the fan and the fan shroud and between the fan shroud and the heat sink. This excitement creates undesired sound power and an increased sound pressure at the operator's position. It would be desirable to reduced or eliminate the transmission of vibration in a fan sink assembly and thereby reduce the sound power and pressures experienced by the end-user.